I am absolutely appalled at our school system and how they continue to manipulate and bribe the parents of school-age children into thinking school fees are mandatory. Their antics have now become "a discounted rate if the school fee is paid on registration day" along with your child receiving "a free school t-shirt."

I initially presented to the Hamilton County School Board on 02/20/03 regarding the issue of the legality of requiring school fees. This stemmed from my then senior daughter receiving a pink piece of paper with large writing stating she had failed to pay a certain subject fee, therefore, her report card was being held until such fee was paid. Needless to say, she was humiliated in front of her friends and, I, as a single parent receiving no child support and having 2 other children at home, became angry because she was being punished for something that was out of her control.

On 03/14/03 a ruling was made by the State of Tennessee Office of the Attorney General that stated "school fees of any type may be requested but not required." The Comptroller's Office and State Department of Education were in agreement that such fees are considered a fundraiser since "public schools are free to residents over 5 years old in Tennessee"; furthermore, "payment of such fees is at the option of the parents.....No penalties may be placed upon students who do not wish to participate and no privileges may be given to students who choose to participate."

After my son was recently saddened because he was not getting a free school t-shirt because I chose not to pay the school fee, I decided it was time to take action. I understand our schools need money, but, I promise you, my employer would not freely give me a raise when I needed it because of my personal mismanagement of money. I am given a certain amount of salary, and it's up to me to budget it as I learned in school....so must our school system. I guess the next step is to take it to the Office of Civil Rights in Atlanta.

Ginger Reed
believe5962@aol.com

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Ms. Reed,
You think things are bad now? Go ahead, don't pay those school fees, and encourage others to do the same. If schools do not collect those fees, that money will come from somewhere. In successful schools with parents who are involved and supportive, they will raise the money, and probably do already. Of course, most people with the mentality that they don't need to pay those fees probably feel they don't need to take part in school fundraisers, because they pay their taxes.

Well, we all pay our taxes, and the bottom line is that what we pay never makes it to the classroom, other than to pay that teacher's salary. Each teacher gets $100 a year for supplies and equipment for their room, period. Anything else, parents provide or the teacher pays for out of their pocket so your child can get an education. Board markers, pencils, Kleenex, you name it. One of my teacher buddies was out at McKay's last weekend, buying more textbooks for his elective history class out of his pocket, because he doesn't have enough for his students and the county doesn't provide them for his class. But that's OK, because school fees aren't mandatory.

People are going to fund the school system one way or another. I don't like the idea of more taxes, especially since the people in charge are obviously not working in our children's best interests. However, I really don't care to fund my child's classroom and someone else's part simply because they think it's not their responsibility. Enough of my tax dollars go to entitlement programs already.

Why don't you go check out some of the better school systems in the country and see what the individual tax bill is in their district? Independent school districts not only tax for their schools, but are responsible to the electorate, something apparently no elected official in Hamilton County ever seems to worry about. Our taxes are incredibly low by comparison, but the return we get on our tax dollar is pitiful in Hamilton County, education or otherwise.

Again, I don't want higher taxes, and I do want fiscal responsibility from the school system - when is that going to happen? It didn't under Register, not under Scales, and Tommy Kranz has only made life hard on the teachers and bookkeepers, from what I've heard, because funding at the building level hasn't increased, only the red tape, and now we're laying off a bunch of teachers, but not one administrator from the Central Office - we're still trying to give them raises.

You don't want to pay school fees? Fund the schools adequately, one way or the other.

Lee Crews
Hixson

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Ms Reed,

As far as I can remember parents have been paying school fees. I know when I was in school in Chattanooga back in the 60's and 70's, my mother paid school fees. Then we also had to buy our pencils and tablets. My mother was also a single parent of two and had no child support. I am sorry that your child didn't get his school tee shirt, but when I was growing up, I was just happy that my mother worked and put food on the table and a roof over my head.

When I was a senior at Kirkman, I didn't get my last report card because I didn't pay my senior dues. I didn't care about the report card. As long as I graduated, I didn't need the report card. I don't know if you own a home or not, but let me tell you the taxes in Chattanooga are pretty good compared to the tax in Omaha, where I live now. I live in one of the better school districts; its called District 66. For my home that was valued at $80,000 my property taxes is almost $3000 a year, and half of that goes to the school district. That is a third of what I was paying on my home in Chattanooga. Oh by the way, I don't even have any kids in school, so I am paying for other parents' kids.

You know when you go and get your auto decal, it's $23.95 in Chattanooga. Here in Omaha each year I have to pay $300 for my renewal for my car.

I am proud of the education that I received when I went to school in Chattanooga. We had a great teachers and other staff members. So let me tell you that no matter what, you are going to have to pay taxes or fees.

Patty Shirley
Omaha, NE